Jim Prideaux

Jim Prideaux is a fictional character created by John le Carré, and is a major figure in le Carré's Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.

Prideaux was the former head of the "scalphunters", the group within MI6 that carried out the more violent aspects of covert operations. He is a fluent Czech-speaker; he can "pass" as a Czech to other Czechs. Jim is now a schoolteacher. He was a close companion of Haydon and was described as “A large fellow." Athlete; fluent in languages, raised partially abroad. Oxford".

Prideaux, whose "work name" was "Ellis," was shot in Czechoslovakia on an operation code-named “Testify,” an assignment that was blown to the Soviets.

Prideaux was played by Ian Bannen in the 1979 television serial based on the novel. In the 2011 film adaptation, he was played by Mark Strong.

...
Wikipedia